Freewheeling attachment



March 21, 1933. J. DORST ET AL FREEWHEELING ATTACHMENT Filed May 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l P- Barizkuler March 21, 19.33. DORST ET AL 1,902,623

FREEWHEELING ATTACHMENT Filed May 2, 19:51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/1011111110 V III/[IA Patented Mar. 21, 1933 FUNITEFD TSTAVTES JAMEs-noasrm PHILIP IBAGI-AIHUBER, on MAYVI LE; Wisconsin rnEnwHEnLmG ATTACHMENT Application filed Ma a 1931 Serial No. 534,628.

This invention relates toffree wheeling devices and more particularly to an attachmentwhich may be. used for this purpose on any conventional motor'vehicle.

Anobject of this invention is to provide a free wheeling attachment which may be mounted on any conventional motor vehicle without disturbing the present parts of the vehicle. f Another object of this invention is to provide a free wheeling attachment which operates to disengage the clutch simultaneous with the release of the carbureter throt- Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic free wheelingdevice of this kindwhich may besuitably adjusted to free wheel at any "desired speed and which, in addition thereto, will slowly release the cluteh so as to prevent stalling'of the engine. c

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is so constructed as to eliminate the necessity of touching the clutch during the operation of shifting gears. i f

' The'above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in and in part be understood from the following detaileddescription of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein H v r 1 Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention-mounted on a motor vehicle; 7 i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section partly in detail of the suction valve showing the 0 valve in operative position;

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the valve in inoperative position;

' Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the air'inlet for the suction valve; V v

Figure 5 is a longitudinalsectional view partly in detail of the'clutch operating means;

Figure 6 is a detail top plan view of the clutch operating member,and a Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of connecting this--invention with the throttle;

' Referring to'the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts through the several views, the numeral 10 designates generally a motorvehicleengine which is providedwiththe conventional intake manifold 11 andv a transmission having a clutch pedal 12. The motor vehicle is also provided with the conventional steering column 13 whichextends inwardly of the vehicle fromthe engine compartment.

In motor vehicles at present available, in 65, orderto shift gears, it is necessary to oper ate the clutch pedal 12 bymeans of the foot during; each shifting operation or when. it is desired to free wheel, or in other words, to let the vehicle coast while the engine 10 is running at what is commonly termed idling speed. M j 3 In order to effect free wheeling of conventional vehicles without disturbing the present parts of the vehicle, Ihave pro- V vided an attachment which is connectedat one point to the throttle 14 which is, operated by the foot of the driver and connected to the carbureter of the vehicle. A cylinder generally designated as 15 is mount- 80. ed on the manifold 11 and provided with a port 16 which is connectedto the intakev manifold. One end of the cylinder 15 is open and a piston, or valvemember .17- is slidably mounted within the cylinder 15.

The cylinder 15 is also provided with asec- 0nd port 18 andan enlarged chamber 19 disposed intermediate the ends of-thecylinder 15 and with which the second-port 18 communicates. 1 V

' An air inlet port 20 is also provided in the cylinder 15 anda threadedregulating screw 21 is threadably mounted in the cylinder 15, and is adapted to partially closethe inlet 20 so as to regulate the quantity of air passing through this inlet. The piston .17

is provided intermediate the ends thereof 7 with an elongated. slot 22 which, when the piston 17 is moved inwardly, establishes communication betweenthe air inletport 20 and 1 ber orcylinder 15 by means of a pipeline 29..

the outlet port 18 and cutsoil the suction of the suction port 16 from the'port 18. One

end of the piston 17 is connected to the throttle rod 14 by means of a link member 23 so that as the throttle 14 is moved inwardly under the pressure of the foot of the operator, the piston 17 is simultaneously moved inwardly and conversely when throttle rod 14 is moved outwardly under the action of the convention spring mechanism, the piston '17 is moved outwardly, cutting oil the air inlet port 20 and establishing communication between the suction port 16 and the outlet port .18'.;;,, Y 7 V VA clutch pedal operating member, generally designatedas 24, is mounted on the Thi's' base member 26 is of hollow construction and provided with an outstanding flange'30'uponwhich a diaphragm 31 of resilient or flexible construction is mounted by means of a securing ring-32 which is fastened to the flange 30 by means ofbolts 33 or the like. A pedal engaging lever, gen; erallydesignated as 34, is rockably secured to the diaphragm 31 by means of a post 35 or the like which is pivotallysecured to the lever 34 intermediate the ends thereof, one end of the post 35 being secured to the diaphragm 31 at substantially. the center thereof and reinforcing or protecting plates 36 are disposed on the opposite sides of the diaphragm 31 so as to prevent injury to the diaphragm upon movement inward and out ward thereof under the action ofthe lever 34. V

One end of the lever 34 is pivotally mounted on an upstanding post or support 37 which is mounted on the base portion 26 at a point substantially diametrically opposed from the bracket 25 and a stop member 38 is mounted on the base member 35, and is adapted to limit the rocking movement of the lever 34. The opposite end of the lever 34 is provided with a hook or reverted portion 39 which loosely engages about the clutchpedal 12. i

The diaphragm 34 may be constructed of any res lient or flexible fmaterial which is actuated by the suction of the motor 11 but which, at the same time, will return to its normal position in a relatively short time so that when the piston 17 is moved inward ly, the air will pass through the air inlet port 20 and through the pipe line 29 so as to relieve the vacuum caused by the suction of the motor 10.

It will, of course, be understood that the lever 39 is also facilitated in its rocking movement toan inoperative position by means of the clutch pedal springs so that the action of the diaphragm 31 is facilitated b the the return of the clutch pedal.

In the operation of thisdevice, when the vehicle is in motion and the throttle 14is depressed, the plunger or-piston 17 will be moved inwardly of the cylinder 15 under the action of: the throttle rod 14 so as to permit the passage ofjair from the inlet rearwardly under the actionof the conventional clutch operating springs (not shown). When the foot is'released from the throttle 14 and the throttle is moved rearwardly under the action of the conventional spring mechanism, the piston 17. is simultaneously moved rearwardly so as to establish communication with the suction port 16 and theoutlet port 18. The suction caused by the idling action of the motor 10 will cause a partial vacuumin the base member 26 and the diaphragm 31 willbe drawn'inwardly, thereby coactively rocking the clutch operating lever 34 on the supporting member 27 and causing the free end thereof to rock the clutch pedal 12 forwardly into neutralor disengaged position. The clutch pedal 12 will be held in'inoperative or disengaged position as long as the throttle 14 is not in idling position and as long as the motor 10 is operating. When the throttle 14 is pushed inwardly so as to speed up the motor 10, the plunger or piston 17 is forced inwardly so as to establish communication between the air inlet port 20 and the outlet port 18 whereby the vacuum within. the

base member 26 will be relieved so that the diaphragm 31 can expand or move outwardly, which will rock the clutch engaging lever 34 on the post and release the clutch pedal 12 for rocking movement into operative position. The free wheeling device herein described can readily be mounted on any conventional motor vehicle having an internal combustion engineand a manually operable clutch and transmission.

As shown in the modification of this invention in Figure 7 the connecting link 23' is connected at one end to the foot throttle 14 and is provided intermediate the ends thereof with an elongated slot or'recess 40, and the throttle rod 41 is provided at the inner end thereof with a bifurcated member 42 which has a pin 'disposed through niece-p23 the bifurcatedends thereofi-the -pin 43 being so'that the'engine will not be driven at an increased speed prior ;to the operation of -tthe'free wheeling attachment." The connecting links 23 and 23 are preferably mounted so that the 'hand throttle can be used for operating the motor independently of the free wheelingattachment. I

Itwill be understood that inconventional throttle operating mechanisms, the hand throttle is operated independently of the .foot throttle and in this manner, the free wheeling attachment which is connected to the foot throttle will be maintained in inoperative position during the time that the hand throttle is being used. Furthermore, by connecting the free wheeling valve member 17 to the link 23', as disclosed in the 'modification, the engine is not rotated at an excessive speed prior to the operation of the lever 34 which engages the clutch 12. In other words, the valve member 17 is moved into operative position for causing the suc tion of the motor to draw the diaphragm 31 inwardly and coactively rocking the clutch lever 34 prior to the movement of the throttle into idling position and conversely when it is desired to release the free wheeling device, the device is released prior to the speeding up of the engine. In this manner, the clutch pedal 12 will be released at the lowest or idling speed of the motor rather than a higher speed.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of constructionand design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing 'from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. A free wheeling device of the character described, comprising the combination with a motor vehicle and an engine therefor, of a resilient diaphragm supported within the vehicle, lever means connecting the diaphragm with the clutch pedal for rocking of the pedal upon movement of the diaphragm, said diaphragm normally maintaining said lever means inefiective and suction means connecting the diaphragm and the vehicle engine whereby to move the diaphragm. V

2. The combination with a motor vehicle and an engine therefor, of a casing supported within the vehicle, a resilient diaphragm carried by the casing, a rockable member engaging the diaphragm and the clutch pedal whereby to rock the pedal upon movement of the diaphragm, said diaphragm normally" holding said. member in inoperative position, asuction cylinder connected to the engine, a piston slidable in said ,cylinder, means connecting the piston with, "the throttle, and means connecting the cyl i inder with the casing whereby to provide a substantial vacuum within the casingand 'coactively draw the.diaphragminwardly of the casing for rocking able member.

3. A free wheeling device of the character described, comprising the combination with a motor vehicle engine,ofia resilient diaphragm, a pedal operating .lever rockably'engaging the diaphragm and the pedal whereby to rock the pedal 'in operative position or inoperative position upon flexing ot the diaphragm, said diaphragm normally holding said lever in inoperative position nd automatically operat d means (for 3S? ing the diaphragm simultaneously withthe movement of the 'carbureteri throttle.

4:.iA freewheeling deviceot the character described, comprising a flexible diaphragm, a roclrable pedal operating member carried by the diaphragm andloosely en gaging the clutch ped'alof'the vehicle,said

diaphragm normally holding said member ininoperative position, automatically operated suction means for moving the diaphragm" 5 in one directionwhereby to rock thepedal forwardly, said automatically operated means permitting the diaphragm to' flex in another direction whereby to release the levcr'itrom the clutch pedal uponrendering said suction means ineffective. V '5. A free wheeling. device of the character described, comprising the combination with a motorv'ehi'cleand an enginetherefor of a flexible member, means connecting the flexible member with the clutch pedal or the vehicle whereby to. rock the clutch pedal upon flexing of the member, said flexible member normally holding said connecting .means in inoperative position and autoni'atically operated suction means engagingfth'e engine andthe member wherebyto flex the member inone directionfor rocking the clutch pedal int-o declutched position, said member returning to normal inactive position when said suction means is renderedin operative and simultaneously swinging sa d connecting means in a direction to permit tree" return of the pedal to clutchlng pos tion.

6. The combination with a motor vehicle and an engine therei'or, of a casing, adiae phragm carried by the cas1ng,-a rock lever carried by the casing and engaging the diaphragm, said rock lever also loosely engag ing the clutch, pedal whereby to rock "the clutch pedal in one direction upon rocking of the lever, said flexible member normally holding said lever in inoperative position, 'means for automatically withdrawing air a from tlie'casing whereby to move'the diai movementof the rock 575 phragm and the lever inwardly toward the casing and release means whereby to permit the entrance of air into the casing for movement ofthe diaphragm in the other direction forv releasing the lever from the clutch pedal.

7 The combination with a motor vehicle and an engine therefor, of -a casing, means for supporting the casing from the steering colunin, a flexible diaphragm, means for securing the diaphragm to the casing whereby to close the casing, a clutch operating lever rockably supported by the casing and engaging the diaphragm for rocking of the lever coactive with the flexing of the diaphragm, said diaphragm normally maintaining said lever in inoperative position, a hook secured to the lever and loosely disposed about the I clutch pedal, and means engaging the engine throttle and the casing whereby to withdraw the air from the casing upon release of the throttle, said means also including means for admitting air into the casing upon for- Ward movement of the throttle flexing of the diaphragm in one direction rocking the lever and pedalengaged thereby, flexing of the diaphragm in the opposite direction swinging the lever 1n a direction to permit the pedal to freely rock into clutching position.

8. In a free wheeling device of the charac- I ,to the member, said piston having an elongated slot thereindisposed inwardly from each 7 end thereof whereby upon inward movement of the piston the suction from said suction port is cut ofi', said cylinder also having an air mtake port, said piston upon cutting off the suction from said suction port being adapted to establish communication 1 between the air intake port and said outlet port whereby to permit the passage of air to said member for flexing thereof, said member normally maintaining said connecting means in inoperative position.

9. The combination with a motor vehicle and an engine therefor, of a casing, means:

for supporting the casing from the vehicle steering column, a diaphragm, means for securing the diaphragm to the casing whereby to close the casing, a clutch operating lever rockably supported by the casing and engaging the diaphragm for rocking the lever coactively with the flexing of the diaphragm, a valve member, means connecting the valve member to -the casing, a link connecting the valve member with the foot throttle, said link having an elongated slot therein, and a carbureter link having one end thereof disposed in said slot and the op posite end connected to the carbureter whereby the valve member is moved into operative position prior to opening or closing of the throttle.

In testimoney whereof our signatures. p v

JAMES DORST. I PHILIP BACHHUBER. 

